[Greek] τυφόομαι (typhoomai), [Latin] superbia, ]Latin] voluptas: to be conceited, to be foolish, to inflate with self-conceit, to be lifted with pride, to be proud, to be “puffed up”, to be high-minded, to “wrap in smoke”, to be “clouded with smoke”, to give off smoke; 1Tim. 3:6, 1Tim.6:4, 2Tim.3:4
Background Information:
Related term: [Greek] τυφλός (typhlos), [Latin] caecus, [German] blind: blind, not able to understand, unclear, concealed, spiritually blind
Greek Hellenism: This term means to delude, to be crazy, demented, vain, and arrogance.
Plato’s Greater Hippias 290: “You, lunatic, do you think Phedias is a bad craftsman!”
Demosthenes’ Against Timocrates 24.158: “You talk like a fool.”
Old Testament: God has given to each of us certain gifts, talents, and abilities. It is only natural that we should feel a sense of satisfaction from our accomplishments in using these gifts. However, pride taken too far, can become a hindrance in our relationship with God. While pride is sometimes used in the Old Testament in a positive sense, its negative sense predominates in the Old Testament. This prideful behavior may result in inflating our self-image, in diminishing our humbleness, in ruining our relationship with God, and in leading to brokenness. God favors the lowly and humble.
New Testament: This term takes on a negative sense of being conceited, extremely proud, and being foolish. Interestingly, the idea of conceit appears in all three scriptures in the New Testament. The proper candidate for bishop must not have a spiritually immature faith. This lack of faith my lead one to be subject to the conceit of power or to the conceit of the devil. Those, who teach things opposed to the words of Jesus, show conceit. In the last days, the self-centered people will express qualities such as conceit.
Scripture:
“He should not be a recent convert, so that he may not become conceited and thus incur the devil’s punishment.” 1Tim.3:6
Recent convert (novice): This person is who is lacking in faithfulness, experience, testing, and resistance to struggles and temptations. This refers does not refer to one who is “young in years”, but rather to one who is “young in faith.”
Become conceited: This person is “puffed up” in one’s own pride, arrogance, pride, and worldly ways.
Being influenced by the devil: This person is more concerned about worldly concerns, rather than heavenly concerns. This person is unfaithful, lacking in faith, and more susceptible to the blatant and more subtle influences of the world and the devil. This person is presumptuous in changing doctrine and Church teachings.
“Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with sound words of the Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.” 1Tim.6:3-4
Paul warns Timothy those give false teachings. False teachers can be discerned by their pride, envy, quarrelsomeness, and greed for material gain. Paul is concerned about the preservation of the purity of the Church’s doctrine against false teachings.
Typhoon: Like a hurricane, a typhoon is a well-developed circular weather pattern. These storms are characterized by low pressure, high humidity, heavy winds, and hot air. A typhoon differs from a hurricane only in terms of location. A typhoon occurs in the western part of the Pacific Ocean.
Conclusion:
Typhoon, superb, voluptous
I would have never expected this term would be identified with being haughty, conceited, or proud. It was interesting to discover that there are more Old Testament passages talking about the pitfalls of pride.
So it is not surprising that these principles are continued in the New Testament. Jesus stresses that one must be like a child, who is naturally humble. Jesus also stated that one must be a servant rather than selfish, and humble rather than prideful.
An arrogant and conceited person is like a typhoon is filled with hot hair and is high winded. Sometimes we encounter people who are “full of hot air” or “puffed up.” You know them. They talk a lot and say nothing. They may also be often proud and “full of themselves.” Yet, there are sometimes when we are so “wrapped up in our own smoke” that we can’t see what we are doing.
2Tim.3:4: In the last days there will be moral depravity and false teaching. There will be lovers of money, pride, disobedience, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, those make a pretense of religion but deny its power, those opposing truth, and foolishness.